I Hate U, I Love U
by swencaskett
Summary: Emma and Regina have been best friends for as long as they can remember. Emma is a soccer player age 16, while regina is a cheerleader at age 18, attending Storybrooke High. Emma is in love with her best friend but she doesn't know and is in a relationship with Mally, the cheer captain. What will happen when Regina finds out how Emma feels. This will be swanqueen endgame
1. Chapter 1

It's a Friday night and Emma is laying in bed listening to music, doing her book assignment; or at least supposed to be but it seems all she can do is daydream about her best friend, Regina, who happens to be out on a date with her girlfriend instead of doing study group with her. Regina is a senior at Storybrooke High, Cheer captain all girly while Emma is a sophomore at Storybrook. They pair have been best friends since they were young. Emma's mother, Mary Margaret, was close friends with Regina's mother, Cora. The two were childhood friends as well so it was expected the girls would go up close as well.

Emma is head over heels, or sneakers in her case, in love with her best friend. Unfortunately Regina has no idea, and Emma doesn't think that there is any chance that she could feel the same way towards her. She decides to make a playlist of some songs that describe how she feels and what she would love to say to Regina. The first one she adds is the one she's currently listening to, You Belong With Me by Taylor Swift. She decides to look through her current playlist to see what else she could add and she spots I hate u, I love u by Gnash, and then How Do I Get There by Deana Carter. She keeps looking and adds, Lucky by Jason Mraz & Colbie Caillat, Just A Friend To You by Meghan Trainor, If I ain't got you by Alicia Keys, and Dilemma by Nelly and Kelly Rowland, plus loads others.

While she's making the list she's screaming at the top of her lungs the lyrics to You Belong With Me,

" _But she wears short skirts_

 _I wear T-shirts_

 _She's cheer captain_

 _And I'm on the bleachers_

 _Dreaming about the day when you wake up_

 _And find that what you're looking for has been here the whole time"_

It fits the situation perfectly since Emma is such a tomboy, she's on the soccer team and Regina is a cheerleader dating the cheer captain Mally, who is the epitome of girly girl. She keeps thinking all she wants is to see Regina and kiss her senseless until they are both out of breath. She tries to work on her homework again but doesn't seem to get into her work like she should, so she decides to play the playlist and sing at the top of her lungs since her parents our out. As she's belting out a verus of I hate u, I love u; her door opens and she doesn't realize anyone is their let alone watching her make a complete fool of herself.

" _I hate you I love you_

 _I hate that I love you_

 _Don't want to, but I can't put_

 _Nobody else above you_

 _I hate you I love you_

 _I hate that I want you_

 _You want her, you need her_

 _And I'll never be her"_

The song switches and still she doesn't notice Regina has entered her room watching her. The next song the comes on is How Do I Get There by Deana Carter. She's twisting and spinning and just letting loose, she thinks about texting regina to see how her date is going but thinks better off it, she's actually in a good mood and doesn't want to ruin it, but then she actually gets startled by the person currently running every thought in her head.

" _We've always been the best of friends_

 _No secrets and no demands_

 _But suddenly from somewhere out of the blue_

 _I see a different light around you_

 _One thing I haven't told you, I just want to hold you_

 _And never let you go, but I need to know"_

She can't even think to say anything, the dress regina is wearing is hugging her curves in just the right way, Regina just laughs and grabs her hands and starts dancing with her before she could even think to say anything. When they pull apart Regina drops on Emma's bed, she closes her eyes and Emma takes the chance to look at her, really look at her and her eyes automatically zero in onto the scar on her upper lip; it's such a funny explanation on what happened, it was actually kind of Emma's fault. When the girls were younger Regina wanted to play house and Emma was always made the father since she didn't wear dresses all of the time like Regina did, Emma thought it was a good idea to chase after Regina and try to kiss her like their daddys did to their mothers. Alas it was not a good idea and Regina ran away from her straight into the grill on the patio, Emma had felt so bad after it happened, that she took care of her as well as an 8 year old could.

Regina looks up at Emma and she can tell her friend is thinking about something but is unsure of what, she takes a moment to just look at her, she looks good, maybe a little stressed probably from school. She hates to interrupt her friend from her little daydream or where she went but she wants to talk to her about Prom tomorrow.

"Em, are you still going to the dance tomorrow?"

Caught daydreaming she lets out a "hmmmm?"

Regina contemplates on if she should ask her blonde friend what is on her mind, they never keeps secrets from the other. "Em whats wrong? Is everything ok?"

"Of course Gina, everything's fine, I was just thinking about something, what did you ask?"

Regina gives her a sideway glance and huffs out in frustration that her best friend is not letting her in, but says "Prom, Em, are you still going tomorrow? Ruby wanted us to all go as friends remember?"

Emma lets out a low groan of course she forgot about the stupid Prom and of course she doesn't want to go, it's not like anyone has asked her to go as a date, only her friends want to go with her. "No of course I didn't forget Gina, I just don't want to go, you and Red know I don't like dances. Plus I'm single and she's with Belle and you have Mal. why don't you two just double and I'll stay home like I want to?"

Regina doesn't say anything at first, just mulls over what Emma had just told her. She knows it's not really Emma's style so she doesn't blame her but she wants her there, this is her last chance granted Emma has two more chances to go but Regina wants her there.

"Em, I want you there and we are just going as friends, you, Red, Tink, Belle, Elsa and her sister Anna will be there, and even some of the guys like Neal, Killi, and Zee is coming with Robin as well, we want you there, plus you know it's my last Prom, I want you there, I want to share at least a dance with you."

Emma mulls it over and thinks of her choices, not like she has many and not like she could ever tell Regina no. she still lost in her thoughts when Regina speaks again and says "Em you have that dress that looks beautiful on you or that suit you wore that one time that and I quote Red on this one 'looks absolutely delicious on you' so why don't you choose one and come with me please?"

Emma relents of course but doesn't tell regina that as of yet she wants her sweat it out a little more and says "on one condition, movies and popcorn in bed tonight?"

Of course Regina relents and agrees, she's excited to spend time with her best friend the only person who seems to understand her, she does ask "just us or do you want to invite Red or Tink or Belle or anyone?"

Emma looks up kinda shocked, and says "no Gina if it's ok with you just us, I would like a quiet night and if they come it won't be."

Regina lets out a deep laugh that makes Emma go weak at the knees and agrees that yes if they came it would be anything but quiet, then she asks "what movie do you want to watch?"

Emma replies with "why don't you choose while I go make some popcorn and let mom know you'll be staying the night?" Regina just shakes her head yes that's fine and goes to turn the tv on in Emma's room, they've done this for as long as they can remember, movies in pjs cuddled in one or the others bed eating popcorn. It's normal to them and they both are thankfully for it. Regina seems to need her best friend just as much as Emma does and it makes her wonder what is going on.

 _When you say I'm just a friend to you_

 _'Cause friends don't do the things we do_

 _Everybody knows you love me too_

 _Tryna be careful with the words I use_

 _I say it 'cause I'm dying to_

 _I'm so much more than just a friend to you_

As Emma walks down the stairs she realizes her phone is still playing music and Just A Friend To You comes on and she hums along to the lyrics as she gets the popcorn and gets a huge bowl to put it in when it's done popping. She feels a little better now that Regina is here and will be in her arms soon but then she gets kind of depressed thinking about how she's not hers and not really in her arms as her girl friend, hell she hasn't even told Regina that she was into girls, let alone that she has fallen for her. Maybe she should do that tonight, let her think about it, she doesn't think it'll mess up their friendship but she does worry a little, she thinks that maybe Regina will grow weary of her like she first did with Red when she came out to her, but that was also because Red said she wanted to bang Regina to see what it was like.

When she makes her way back upstairs Regina is in a pair of Emmas shorts and a tank top under the covers with the movie ready to push play. Emma looks over to see what it is and she chuckles, of course she would choose this movie, Regina has always had a crush on the main actresses, hell so did Emma. "Gina, really Burlesque?" Regina looks up at Emma and says "Em, it's OUR favorite movie and plus I haven't seen it in awhile so I thought it would be a good movie to watch. Plus if you didn't really like it why do you own it on DVD and own the soundtrack CD" Emma scoffs and says "only because you bought it for me Gina, and" Jokingly she says "we just watched this less than a month ago." Regina huffs and goes "fine if you want to watch something else then put something else on"

Emma looks at Regina in the eyes and laughs, she forgot how much her best friend loves this movie, she relents and says " no it's fine we can watch it, but I need to tell you something, something I probably should've told you a long time ago."

Regina looks nervously up at Emma from where she's lying and asks "and what is that Em, you know you can tell me anything."

Emma down at her and smiles nervously "I know, and honestly I never told you because it always seemed like a bad time. This doesn't really seem like a good time to tell you either but I thought it was time to tell you." She takes a deep breath and says "regina I'm Pansexual."

Regina looks up at her under her lashes and Emma is a little nervous with her taking her time saying anything back to her. Finally after a few minutes staring at each other regina softly whispers "I think I've always known that about you Em, you're such an open honest person and it shows." Emma lets out a shaky relieved breath and says "thank you, Gina. Let's put this movie on and start our movie marathon and get some sleep before this dance tomorrow." Regina just opens her arms to Emma and she slides right in.


	2. Chapter 2

When Emma wakes up in the morning, Regina is in her arms still sleeping. She takes a moment to just look at her and take in all her features, she looks more at peace then she has in a long while. It makes Emma wonder what's going on in that beautiful head of hers. She reaches down and places a small kiss on Regina's hair line and she stirs, Emma Says "hey sleepy head, are you ready to get ready for this dance?" Regina moans as she stretches and leans more into Emma and says "Em let's go back to sleep"

Emma lets out a big chuckle and says "Gina if we don't get up soon we'll miss our mani pedi appointment and then you'll complain your nails look like crude" Regina just buries her head into Emma's chest just a little more and relents and says "fine but I want some breakfast first, Granny's?" Emma lets out a laugh and say's "come on we gotta go now then, I'll shoot a text to Red as well and see if she's up and wants to meet us" Regina just hmms in agreement.

Emma lets out a chuckle and pulls Regina's hands from around her so she can get up to get dressed. As soon as she stands up she feels a pillow hit the back of her head, she lets out a surprised ompf and launches herself at Regina who lets out a squeal when Emma lands on her tickling her sides. Both laughing and tickling until Regina screams out she's going to pee, Emma laughs but relents and lets her up so they can get ready for the day.

As Regina goes to the bathroom Emma decides to go ahead and get dressed so they can go get breakfast. As she lifts her shirt up, Regina walks in and stops and stares at her, blushing Regina quickly looks away to find her own clothes. Emma doesn't notice as her shirt was over her face at the time and just goes to throw on a bra and find a clean shirt, she doesn't think about it as they've done this countless times before, but this time feels different.

When they arrive to Granny's Red is already there with Belle and ordered for everyone, a coffee black for Regina and a hot chocolate with whipped cream and cinnamon on top for Emma and a platter of pancakes, bacon, sausage, hash browns and eggs for everyone to share. Red and Belle are already gossiping about the dance that evening and trying to guess who's going to be hooking up with whom.

Red lets out a loud squeal out saying "no way Tink is not going to hook up with Killi, he's totally gay babe!" Belle laughs and says "in your dreams, you just want a gay bff" Emma chuckles because she can attest to Red, Killi is totally gay. He had confided in Emma in 9th grade, when they were dared to kiss each other but had agreed to say they did even when they hadn't. Of course Emma hasn't told anyone since he had kept her secret crush on Regina quite for all these years.

Regina chuckles and says "Emma would know, she's kissed him before" Emma pales and looks away, she doesn't want to admit to her closest friends that she hasn't had her 1st kiss yet so mumbles out an agreement and changes the subject "Hey, Gina is mom doing your makeup or Ma?"

"Ma of course, like my mom would want to"

Emma looks away and mumbles "ok" all of the sudden someone is running and screaming for Emma, she turns around and Elsa jumps into her arms. Emma lets out a sequel of surprise and the laughs while hugging Elsa back.

Elsa asks "who's going with who tonight?"

Emma blushes and says "I don't have a date, do you?" Elsa looks her straight in the eyes giving her a look that says she knows who the blonde would love to take to the dance. But instead of saying something about it she just chuckles and says "I'm going stag" and she winks at Emma, making the blonde blush a beautiful rose color.

Regina just shakes her head and says "we're not going as couples, we're just going as friends, remember Elsa?" Elsa just chuckles and nods her head. Ruby decides then to ask what time their appointment for their mani pedis are. Regina looks at the time and says "in 20 minutes, Em we should leave soon" the blonde just shakes her head in agreement while staring at Elsa.

5 minutes after just goofing off Emma pulls Regina up and says "lets go so we can hurry up and get home so we can get ready and ma can help us with out hair and makeup" the brunette just giggles and says "by ladies I'll see you at the dance" Emma shoots a later over her shoulder as she's dragging Regina out the front door of Granny's and towards the only nail salon in Storybrooke.

While they get their nails done they goof off and just gossip and Regina decides to ask Emma some questions. "So after what you told me last night I'd like to ask you some questions." Emma looks down and very nervous, she decides to say "depends on what you want to ask me Gina" the brunette lady oks at her then, really looks at her, the blonde looks very nervous and fidgety like she doesn't really want to answer her.

She decides to ask the one question she doesn't think will be too much of a problem and should alleviate some of the blondes nerves. "Why did you wait so long to tell me?" Emma looks into the brunettes eyes at the moment and she looks scared. Emma lets out a nervous chuckles and just says "I didn't want you to think of me like Ruby who only told you because she wanted to be with you, which so is not the case." Instead of meet the brunettes eyes she looks away.

Regina lets out a sigh she didn't realize she was holding in. She speaks as much truth as she can and wills Emma to meet her gaze "Em hunny I would never think that about you, you're my best friend. We've known each other pretty much our entire lives." Emma meets her gaze at that moment but doesn't say anything, instead she looks away and off to the side as they finish getting their nails done.

As they walk back to the blonde's house they are both lost in thought on their friendship and Emma is unsure how to get past her little crush on the brunette. She loves the brunette but she's not sure if it's platonic or romantic. She knows she wants to kiss her senseless and that her best friend deserves to be treated like a queen, she wants to explore this feeling with her but can't. It would cause to many problems.

As they get closer to the blonde's house Regina asks "Do you want to get your hair and makeup done first while I get in my dress? Unless are you wearing the dress or are you wearing your suit?"

Emma falters for a moment caught off guard while her mind was running a mile a minute. She thinks about it for a moment and says "suit definitely, so yea that'll be fine I'll do my stuff while you get dressed."

By that time they had made it back to her house and Regina mumbles something under her breath then says "I'll be over in a minute I forgot my dress at my place, I'll change there then head back for ma to do my makeup" Emma looks down and says "ok, Gina I'll see you soon then."

As Emma is walking in the house her mother squeals and says "I can't believe my baby is going to her first prom!" Emma just shakes her head and says "come on ma come help me with my hair and makeup" Mary Margaret squeals again and then rushes up the stairs after her daughter to the bathroom. Once inside Emma hops on to the bathroom counter and says "ok ma not to overboard with the makeup please."

Mary Margaret huffs in annoyance at her daughters lack of dressing and being made up like a princess no matter what. She sighs in defeat and says "ok sweetie, how would you like to wear your hair?" Emma thinks about it and says "how about a ponytail with a half braid on the side?" MM just smiles and says "sounds perfect, let's get started with your hair first then, am I doing Gina's hair?"

Emma nonchalantly says "yea, ma she's over getting her dress on first while you work on me"

MM lets out a big grin and says "ok sweetie. I can't wait to get a picture of you girls together. I'm sure you'll both look beautiful." Emma just sighs and says "come on ma I don't want to take to long and Gina not have time."

About 30 minutes later Emma is hopping off the counter with her hair and makeup finished, while saying "thanks ma, Gina should be here soon, but I'd like to go ahead and get dressed." As she's walking to her room she hears the front door open and hear Gina yell up that's she's here. Emma lets out a low groan, she's not ready to see Regina in her prom dress or dancing with Mally.

As Regina is getting her hair and makeup done by MM she asks "so ma did Em look excited for prom?" MM just looks at Regina sitting on the counter in the exact same spot that her own daughter was sitting just a few minutes ago. She says "I'm not sure sweetie, she seems kind of nervous, I believe she will feel like a 3rd wheel when you two get their. I know the other girls will be there but most are in a relationship"

The younger brunette just looks down and says "I'll make sure she doesn't ma" MM looks at her closely and says "I believe you but what about Mal? Won't she get upset if your not with her, she is your girlfriend after all." Regina shifts under the older brunette's stare and just says "everything will be fine ma, I promise."

By the time they are done talking Regina is almost ready to go, she looks at the time and groans. They have less than 10 minutes until everyone arrives in the limo they split the cost of. As Regina hops off the counter Em walks in and gasps when her eyes land on Regina and Regina can't help but drop her jaw.

Emma is wearing a sleek black suit with a black tie and a white button up underneath the jacket, whole Regina is wear a beautiful black dress made almost all out of a beautiful lace material and the part above her chest and her arms is see through and you can see her beautiful olive toned skin that Emma had always loved.

Emma clears her throat and asks "are you ready to head downstairs to wait for everyone else?" Regina feels as if she's lost her voice so she just nods yes. MM decides to pipe up and says "let's get a picture of you two in front of the huge apple tree out front, that'd be a beautiful backdrop" the girls just nod and head outside after getting their shoes on.

They had only enough time to get a picture of them standing in front of the apple tree before they could hear Red and everyone yelling out of the limo down the street. Emma gives her mother a hug and says "thanks ma" MM gives her a squeeze and said "have fun and girls be safe" both girls say "ok ma, we will be" as they are walking to the limo.


End file.
